200 spark plug torque (1 Viewer)

[fasteddie2015]

2015 LC, 120K mi. Time to change spark plugs.

1) Whats the torque spec for the plug? I've seen 13 and 18, and the owners manual says nothing.

2) Any gotchas? What if anything needs to be removed?

I've done other Toyota V8s, and I know it should be an easy job, just want to check before I get started. Using this as a good excuse to replace my 3/8 ratchet.

 

[bloc]

Service manual specs 21Nm/15lb-ft.

7 of them are straightforward, the rear on the passenger side needs the heater lines moved to get the coil out. There is a very good thread around here somewhere with pics and detailed instructions.. it's worth searching for it.

 

[Mogwai]

Yeah 15ft-lb, FSM pages and some details in this thread: Changing the spark plugs

 

[fasteddie2015]

Done, but what a pain in the butt. Driver side is ok, pretty straightforward. The passenger side is another story. Middle 2 are easy once the air box is off. Front plug, you have to unhook the wiring harness, but not bad. I saved the worst for last... the rear plug on the passenger side. I NEVER want to meet the intern who designed those coolant pipe brackets. It would turn out badly. Or the jerk who set the torque on the wrench that tightened them down. 13 ft lb my ass!!

The last plug took as long as the rest of the job combined. Here's the arsenal of tools it took to get that last plug out. The coolant pipe bracket just laughed at my efforts to get it loose. Breaker bars, my longest box wrench to extend it, PB blaster, 3/8 inch impact wrench. It finally gave in to a 1/2 inch impact wrench. I was convinced I was either going to round off the bolt head or snap it off.

Finally got to the last plug and that went pretty quick. But threading the bolts back in to the coolant pipe bracket was another challenge.

When they say the coil seals are lose and hang on to them when removing the coil, they're not kidding. I lost one. Almost had it but bumped a hose and it fell somewhere that I couldnt see. Had to remove the bottom engine cover. Wasnt there. Used the compressor and blew air hoping to dislodge it. No luck. Called my mechanic and they just happen to have some spares and brought me a couple. After I was done, I found the missing one behind the LC in the driveway. No idea how it got there.

Elapsed time around 4-5 hours. And going over it in my head, I'm thinking that I did not tighten the bolt on the second coolant pipe bracket. Guess I'll be pulling the air box off again tomorrow.

Hang on to those coil seals. They're not available separately. Have to buy the whole coil.

At 118K mi, plug threads were a little discolored but clean. Insulator was still clean and white. outer electrode looked almost new. Center electrodes definitely showed wear. Not much left of them.

Tools used to get to the last plug (firewall, passenger side):